It has been a long time since I posted any news here, and tomorrow I am participating in Woodstock’s ‘Pavlo in the Park’, a Canada 150 celebration, as an exhibitor, so I thought this would be a good time to do so.

It was such a busy summer I didn’t even have a chance to go to my own exhibits!  Allow me to explain:

In June, I was very lucky to be able to spend a couple of weeks in Italy, with my husband.  I took a week-long painting holiday at a place called The Watermill, which was fantastic for both of us. He was able to explore the Tuscan mountainsides hiking while I learned from watercolour painting master Keiko Tanabe and both of us had all the delicious food and drink we could want and met fabulous people.  After that we explored the Cinque Terre, Milan, and Venice on our own.

A scene in Verrucola.

A painting I completed in Italy

While I was away, my daughter helped me out by delivering a few of my watercolour paintings to our Artists of Oxford ‘Canadiana’ exhibit at The ARTS Project in London, Ontario. I arrived home just as the exhibit was closing.

Then, in July, my daughter and I went on a three week train trip across Western Canada.  She had had the good fortune to acquire a Canada150 VIA rail pass and invited me on her trip.  It’s a good thing we get along!  P.S. Canada is very beautiful.  P.P.S. It might be even more beautiful if you go by car and sleep in a bed at night ;).  P.P.P.S. I hate waiting for freight trains…

While we were away, my husband helped me out by delivering (and picking up) a couple of my fractal pieces to the Bridges Math Art conference at the University of Waterloo (our alma mater).  I was really pleased to be able to participate with my art, even though I didn’t get there myself.  Maybe next year!

When I returned home, it was time to fulfill my duties as a Co-Representative for the International Watercolor Society’s Canadian branch (IWS Canada).  We held an online competition from July 1st to August 31 to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.  The three of us processed 1450 entries from over 80 countries around the world!  I am not a juror for the contest but they have a large job ahead of them!  Only 150 entries will be juried in to the final online exhibit, and eight lucky participants (3 in each adult category, 1 in each youth category) will be chosen to receive prizes.

I was also interviewed for a feature article in a new little local free newspaper.  It is in this week’s edition.  A big thank you to The London Review for supporting the arts!

So now, (after this weekend!) I am really looking forward to settling in to my studio and doing some serious watercolour painting.  I have so many reference photos to inspire me!